The baseline plan of the West Kowloon Cultural District project, including the plot ratio, laid down by the Government is not set in stone, Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang says, adding that the screened-in proposals will not be accepted in total.

"We believe, and members of the public may rest assured, that the objective and transparent process provides the best guarantee in rolling out the project," he said.

Mr Tsang told legislators today the Government will study whether the commercial-residential element is overweight, and consider if an adequate proportion of the revenue generated from it will go to the development and operation of the cultural facilities to ensure their sustainability.

"We will listen carefully to the views expressed by the public during the consultation period on this point. If the public have strong views against high-density development and the proponents fail to justify their proposed development density, then the administration will not accept their development proposals," he said.

Self-financing

Mr Tsang said the Government has decided to develop West Kowloon in a consolidation mode with the inclusion of commercial and residential elements.

"This mode is adopted in the hope that the operator will meet the construction cost of WKCD, while drawing on its commercial knowledge and experience to develop and run the whole WKCD on self-financing basis to achieve the target of maximising land use and ensuring the appropriate utilisation of land resources," he said.

Mr Tsang said the whole process will ensure the project is carried out under the close scrutiny of the public and Town Planning Board, and will not in any way be reduced to a property project.

"As such, the proponents must propose a development density which they deem appropriate, taking account of the actual market situation and in line with the self-financing principle," he said.

Approval needed

Mr Tsang said contents of the screened-in-proposals, including plot ratio, gross floor area of buildings of different uses, maximum building height and sitting-out areas have to be approved by the board before the Government signs the provisional agreement.

"The administration would then formally submit the proposed development parameters to board, which will incorporate these development parameters into the relevant draft outline zoning plan and gazette the plan pursuant to the Town Planning Ordinance for public inspection," he said.

The public can comment on or raise objections to the draft plan. The board will consider and process all the views received in accordance with the normal statutory process. The board will submit the draft plan to the Chief Executive in Council for approval.

Mr Tsang said the approved outline zoning plan has the force of law. Without prior approval from the administration and the board, the successful proponent will not be allowed to make any changes to the development parameters.